


does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?

by Splashy



Series: Songfics [12]
Category: Wicked - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, F/F, Songfic, Sorry Not Sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2021-01-22 13:29:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21302861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Splashy/pseuds/Splashy
Summary: Time can change anyone.
Relationships: Elphaba Thropp/Galinda Upland
Series: Songfics [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/936072
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14





	does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?

**Author's Note:**

> song is pompeii by bastille

_I was left to my own devices  
Many days fell away with nothing to show_

After graduating from Shiz, Glinda found herself moving to the Emerald City, into the palace. She was told she’d become a spokesperson for Oz. A pretty face to preach the goodness of herself and the wickedness of the Wicked Witch of the West—no. Of Elphaba. She’d never call her the Wicked Witch. She’s _Elphaba._ Someone she loves. Someone who...who left her.

Well, no matter. She’ll say what they want her to say. She’s in the best possible position she can be, now. This is where she can get inside information on what Elphaba is doing. And maybe she can find her.

Until then, though, she must speak to the people of Oz. Days pass and the words start to become a blur. She knows what she must do and she thinks about it constantly. But as she learns more and more of everything Elphaba has started to do, she can’t help but wonder if it is what she needs to do. 

More days pass, and she slowly starts to believe what she’s told more and more. She starts to forget the Elphaba she once knew, memories replaced by the damage and unrest Elphaba has caused in Oz.

_And the walls kept tumbling down in the city that we love  
Grey clouds roll over the hills, bringing darkness from above_

It seemed like with each bad deed Elphaba did - burned a building that belonged to a well-respected citizen of Oz or stole something - a memory of her time at Shiz disappeared.

Now she’s on the balcony in her room, looking out into the sky. She’d specifically requested a room that looked to the west, but lately, she was starting to regret that. It was getting dark. At first, Glinda thought that was because the night was coming. But she soon realized that no, there were dark clouds rolling in, blotting out the light.

It would rain soon. That only made her think of Elphaba. Was she out there somewhere, hiding against the rain? Was she anywhere nearby? Or was she father away, because she knew how dangerous this area was? She had to know. There was no way she couldn’t. She was being hunted. Everyone kept their eye out for the green-skinned girl. 

But none of them knew Elphaba as well as she did. Or...as well as she used to. So much has changed. She used to want to be here, to look for Elphaba herself. She used to miss her.

It was an ache that remained in her chest as the days passed. But now...it hadn’t disappeared, but it had transformed into something else. She no longer missed Elphaba. Not for the same reason as she used to. Things had changed, now. Hadn’t they?

_But if you close your eyes_  
_Does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?_  
_And if you close your eyes_  
_Does it almost feel like you've been here before?_

She closes her eyes and imagines herself back in her dorm room. Avoiding Elphaba. It was relatively easy, in the beginning. The green girl spent so much time in the library, she was rarely ever in their room.

That feeling she had for the green girl then was similar to the one she has now. It was almost like nothing had changed at all. She wouldn’t say she completely loathed Elphaba. Not as she used to. But she no longer loved her, either. Elphaba had left her. She wasn’t sure if she would ever forgive that.

These feelings though, these thoughts. They felt so similar to when she loathed Elphaba. They were feelings she had thought she’d forgotten, but they’re back.

_How am I going to be an optimist about this?  
How am I going to be an optimist about this?_

Glinda turns away from her balcony before it does start raining and heads back inside.

She has duties to attend to, as Glinda the Good. She has to speak to the citizens of Oz the next day. She must tell them everything the Wizard and Morrible want her to. Every bad thing Elphaba has done since the last time she did this.

She wonders if any of it is true. Even if it wasn’t, would she be able to tell for certain? She doesn’t know what Elphaba is truly like now. So there’s no way to tell if she’s preaching lies or the truth. 

So much time had passed since she was in Shiz. She doesn’t remember what Elphaba was like back then. She hardly remembers anything from her time then. Just little snippets here and there, always without any context.

_We were caught up and lost in all of our vices  
In your pose as the dust settled around us_

Did Elphaba ever really care for her?

The question surprises her. She can’t really remember. She can’t remember much.

What was it Elphaba always liked to do? She liked to read. She’d spend her time in the library whenever possible, often staying even after it had closed. She did that less and less though, as the threat of Morrible grew. Right? She’d study or just read whatever she could get her hands on. 

What had happened to that Elphaba? Now she was out there, wreaking havoc. Trying to take down the Wizard. What had the Wizard even done, anyway? Why was she so against him? The answer was just on the tip of her tongue - if only she could focus on it hard enough.

Something to do with...with animals. Animals. Whatever. Honestly, Oz had gotten so much better without them, hadn’t it? The drought in Munchkinland is gone, and everyone is thriving. Oz has never been better, and it’s all thanks to the Wizard. Really, Elphaba is wasting her time.

Morrible and the Wizard were always telling her how much better things would be if Elphaba were gone. If she were gone...Elphaba had left her, once. Years ago. She could never trust her to not leave again. But Morrible and the Wizard...she could trust them, surely. They’d never leave her, alone and frightened, unsure of what to do. She always knew what she had to do. 

And they would never leave her. They’d never leave her like Elphaba did.

_And the walls kept tumbling down in the city that we love  
Grey clouds roll over the hills, bringing darkness from above_

Glinda stands before the people of Oz. She has what Morrible and the Wizard want her to say memorized. And she was truly starting to believe it. All memories of Elphaba were starting to wane. They were being replaced with what she’s been told and what she’s telling others. Of Elphaba doing this or saying that.

She didn’t know where they got this information, but it didn’t matter. Who was to say if it was true or not? It wasn’t the words that mattered, it was the feeling. And she couldn’t stop feeling betrayed. Bitterness laced her voice, unrecognizable to anyone but herself. Or Elphaba, if she were ever around. It’d certainly be too dangerous for her, so Glinda didn’t care.

Even if Elphaba did hear everything Glinda was saying against her, she didn’t care about that either. Let Elphaba hear. Maybe then she’d know just how much she hurt Glinda, even now, after years have passed and all memories of her are a blur.

_But if you close your eyes_  
_Does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?_  
_And if you close your eyes_  
_Does it almost feel like you've been here before?_

Some memories from her time at Shiz are still there, vague as they are. She remembers sitting with Pfannee and Shenshen at a table, giggling and gossiping amongst themselves about everyone else. Including Elphaba.

She’s met with Pfannee and Shenshen every now and then. Both are married and seem to be living comfortably in the life of luxury with their husbands. She hasn’t seen them in a while, actually, now that she thinks about it. She’s been trying to get rid of everything relating to her past. But maybe she should send them a letter, requesting to catch up...Just for old times’ sake.

The memory resurfaces. They were talking about Elphaba and everything she did to those around her. She doesn’t remember specific words, still feelings. It’s all only ever the feelings. And there’s one that comes in crystal clarity.

Loathing.

She used to loathe Elphaba. And that feeling is starting to return. She hates Elphaba for doing all this to her. The two were supposed to be together, always. That was what Elphaba had once said, wasn’t it? And then she left Glinda. Left her alone and scared. It was a good thing Morrible and the Wizard were there. 

It was almost as though nothing had changed. Had her time at Shiz even happened? Or was it all a dream? It didn’t matter. Only one thing mattered.

She hated Elphaba.

She hated the Wicked Witch of the West.

_How am I going to be an optimist about this?  
How am I going to be an optimist about this?_

Someone new has arrived. Dorothy, she says her name is. And the Wicked Witch of the East is dead now, but there was still the Wicked Witch of the West to deal with. And Dorothy, sweet little Dorothy...She would find a way to kill the Wicked Witch, Glinda was sure of it. She’d be the one to end the reign of terror the Wicked Witch had wrought.

So she sends her off on her way. First to the Wizard, who she knows will send her on the quest to kill the witch, even if she doesn’t know it yet. And then she waits. She’ll wait as long as it’ll take so long as the Wicked Witch dies. She’ll finally pay for everything she’s done to Oz.

For everything she’s done to her.

_Oh, where do we begin, the rubble or our sins?  
Oh, where do we begin, the rubble or our sins?_

Any moment now, it would happen. Dorothy would return, proclaiming the good news, even if it wouldn’t seem that way to her. But Glinda knew. Glinda knew that it _is_ good news.

The Wicked Witch will finally be dead, and they’ll all be free of her. Glinda will be free. She’ll tell the good news to all of Oz, and then she won’t have to think about the Wicked Witch anymore. It’ll all be over.

_And the walls kept tumbling down in the city that we love_  
(Oh, where do we begin, the rubble or our sins?)  
Grey clouds roll over the hills bringing darkness from above  
(Oh, where do we begin, the rubble or our sins?)

The news has come. The Wicked Witch of the West is dead. And now they can all rejoice, their voices carrying throughout the city. And Glinda’s joins them. Her voice reaches up to the sky as she celebrates with the citizens of Oz the death of the Wicked Witch. It’s not like she cares about her anymore. She stopped caring long ago. Perhaps ever since she left Glinda.

Or had she ever even cared for her? Years have passed. She remembers almost nothing from Shiz. Just little flickers of memories that pop up unexpectedly. They never come up when she tries, always popping up at the worst times.

Like now. 

She has a memory of them in their room. They’re wrapped in each other’s arms, and the only feeling that comes to her is safety. Safety, and…

_No._

That memory never happened. Her mind is just making things up. It’s not clearer than any other memory. It’s not the Elphaba she knows. Or, if it was, that Elphaba is long gone now. She’s _dead._ And it’s better this way. 

Another memory comes to her. Elphaba, tormenting others. Anyone who dared to get close to her.

Or was it others tormenting her?

Whatever. It didn’t matter. She - the Wicked Witch of the West - is dead now. Oz is free.

_If you close your eyes_  
_Does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?_

The Wicked Witch of the West is dead. She’s gone. And now, maybe…

Maybe now Glinda can go back to how she was before she ever met that wretched green witch.


End file.
